July 28, 2007 - Philip Morris is sending a card to tobacco smokers on their mailing list and encouraging them to contact their legislators to tell them to vote against increasing the federal tax on pack of cigarettes from $.39 to $1.00. The additional money will provide health insurance coverage for approximately 10 million low-income, uninsured children. Higher cigarette prices should further discourage cigarette consumption. Life-long smokers die, on average, 10 years younger than people who have never smoked. Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3-11 years - or about 22 million children are exposed to second-hand smoke causing at least some of these children to suffer from various respiratory diseases and other related adverse conditions. See related Newsbriefs July 18, 2007 and July 9, 2007. Click on image to enlarge.